plasma display

plasma display

Also called "gas discharge display," a flat-screen technology that uses tiny cells lined with phosphor that are full of inert ionized gas (typically a mix of xenon and neon). Three cells make up one pixel (one cell has red phosphor, one green, one blue). The cells are sandwiched between x- and y-axis panels, and a cell is selected by charging the appropriate x and y electrodes. The charge causes the gas in the cell to emit ultraviolet light, which causes the phosphor to emit color. The amount of charge determines the intensity, and the combination of the different intensities of red, green and blue produce all the colors required.

Plasma displays were initially monochrome, typically orange, but color displays have become very popular and are used for home theater and computer monitors as well as digital signs. The plasma technology is similar to the way neon signs work combined with the red, green and blue phosphor technology of a CRT. Plasma monitors consume significantly more current than LCD-based monitors. See flat panel TV, LCD vs. plasma, phosphor and surface-conduction electron-emitter display.

Plasma Pixels

Each pixel is made up of three cells full of ionized gas that are lined with red, green and blue phosphors. When charged, the gas emits ultraviolet light that causes the phosphors to emit their colors.

Plasma Vs. LCD

Plasma and LCD use entirely different means to create colors. Plasma uses gas and phosphors while LCD uses liquid crystals and color filters. See LCD vs. plasma.

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plasma display [′plaz·mə di′splā]

(electronics)

A display in which sets of parallel conductors at right angles to each other are deposited on glass plates, with the very small space between the plates filled with a gas; each intersection of two conductors defines a single cell that can be energized to produce a gas discharge forming one element of a dot-matrix display.